Morpheus Road 03 - The Blood (33 page)

"Jeez," Coop said in dismay. "You did it. I knew you could."

"No, you didn't."

"You're right, I didn't."

"Now what?" Marsh asked.

"Now we see what it all means," Coop replied, and ran for the door.

Marsh picked up the poleax and followed him outside to where Maggie was waiting.

She stood tall. Her tears were gone.

"Thank you," she said in a strong, confident voice.

"Believe me, it was my pleasure," Coop said.

He took her by the hand as the swirling fog of color appeared before them. All three stepped into the mist . . .

. . . and stepped out onto the platform of the Threshold.

In the valley below, the battle continued. The Blood spirits were dangerously close to breaking down the Guard
ians' first line of defense. They would soon hit the trees and then the stairs that led to the Threshold.

Damon remained on his horse, alone, on the far side of the platform.

Ree stood on the opposite end, also surveying the car
nage. When she saw the three appear, she let out a sigh of relief and ran to Marsh.

"It's done," Marsh said in a soft voice.

Coop and Maggie joined them.

"Doesn't look so done to me," Coop said, pointing down to the battle that raged below.

Zoe came up the stairs, half running, half staggering. She was exhausted. Her armor was in tatters, her face cov
ered with welts.

"I am going to order the Guardians to pull back and
regroup at the base of the stairs," she declared. "That is where we will make our final stand."

"Wait," Marsh declared. "Look."

He pointed out to the valley. The battle was continuing as before, with one significant difference.

"It's gone," Ree said with surprise.

"What is?" Coop asked, confused.

"The gateway between visions," Ree exclaimed. "It's closed."

All eyes went to the far end of the valley and to the col
orful fog that had been disgorging thousands of spirits from Brennus's vision. It was no longer there.

"Ending Brennus must have ended his vision," Coop said with growing hope. "The Blood spirits can't get through anymore."

Cooper looked to Marsh and gave him the double okay sign. "Jeez, you really
did
do it, Ralph."

"Now it's up to the Guardians," Marsh said. "And Damon's army."

"And the Watchers," Maggie said.

"Forget that," Coop replied with bitterness. "We can't count on them."

"I'm not so sure," Maggie said as she pointed back to the Threshold.

Everyone turned to see that the warm light from the Threshold was growing brighter, as if the archway was slowly coming to life. A stiff wind blasted from within, followed by a chorus of sharp whistles. From the depths of the Threshold, thousands of small black streaks flew out, each making a shrill sound as they flashed past those standing on the platform.

"What is this?" Marsh asked in awe.

They all watched in wonder as the black streaks shot high over the valley like a flock of birds headed toward the far end, traveling high above the battlefield.

On the valley floor, the fighting ended abruptly as the spirits stood frozen, staring up at the spectacle in the sky.

"I've seen this show before," Coop said as he put his arm around Maggie. "You're gonna love it."

The dark shadows reached the far end of the valley, then made a wide turn until they were headed back in the direc
tion they had come from. Once all the shadows had made the turn, they quickly swooped downward like a fleet of attack planes. When they reached the spot where the col
orful fog had been, there was a ground-rattling explosion as if the spirits had hit an invisible barrier. The eruption resulted in a massive black cloud that drifted down toward the ground, creating an enormous, dark wall.

The flying shadows continued on, flying low to the ground headed directly for the multitude of soldiers that stood frozen, watching in wonder. The shadows passed harmlessly through the Guardians and Damon's soldiers. The Blood spirits weren't as fortunate. When the black shadows hit the spirits of the damned, they acted like a demonic force that pulled each of them toward the giant black wall . . . that was no longer a wall.

The black fog had opened like a curtain to reveal another reality beyond. It was a gaping portal into the desolate, dark world that existed on the wrong end of the Morpheus Road.

The Blood spirits fought. They screamed. They begged the Guardians to help them.

They were done.

Each spirit was lifted off the ground and instantly trans
formed into a dark shadow. But rather than dissipating and blowing away, the small clouds were pulled into the open
ing and back into the Blood.

"Listen," Marsh said.

The familiar sound of forlorn moaning had returned. It drifted from the open curtain and filled the valley with its
plaintive wail. The Blood was once again occupied.

"I don't know who's worse off," Coop said. "The ones being pulled back or the ones who were destroyed."

"What about the spirits still in Brennus's vision?" Marsh asked.

Coop said, "I'll bet you a nickel they're getting the same treatment."

It took only a few moments for every last spirit who had escaped from the Blood and survived the battle to be returned. When the last shadow was swallowed up, the curtain of smoke drew together and swallowed itself, disap
pearing as if it had never been there.

The swarm of black shadows continued back toward the Threshold, joined together, and flew inside like a swarm of bats returning to their cave. Within seconds the bright light dissipated and the Threshold had returned to normal.

The valley was quiet for a long moment . . . until a single soldier began to cheer.

He was followed by another, and another. Soon, all of the remaining Guardians and soldiers erupted into a joy
ous celebration, hugging and congratulating one another. It didn't matter which leader they had followed into battle. They had faced a common enemy and survived.

And the Threshold was safe.

"The battle is over," Zoe announced. "But will the war continue?"

All eyes went to Damon, who sat tall on his black horse, quietly observing the celebration below.

Damon dismounted, stood tall, and strode boldly toward
the others.

Zoe went for her sword, but Marsh grabbed her arm and
held her back.
Marsh stepped forward to face Damon. The others stood
behind him, all on alert for anything Damon might try.
Coop kept his hand close to his spirit sword.
Marsh held the poleax by the handle with the point down.

Damon walked directly up to him, stopped a few feet away, and said, "I assume that Brennus's spirit is no more."

"That's right," Marsh answered.

Damon gave him a slight, respectful nod. "Then, I salute
you."

"How did it feel?" Marsh asked Damon.

"How did
what
feel?" Coop said, confused.

Damon gazed out onto the valley. Onto the battlefield. The celebration had died down and the thousands of spir
its stood together, looking up toward the Threshold, toward
them, waiting for a sign as to what they should do next. Damon surveyed the scene with satisfaction.

"
As I hoped it would," he said.
"
And now, would you be so kind as to return my weapon?"

He reached out, ready to accept the poleax.

Coop and Zoe stiffened.

Marsh didn't move. "Not a chance," he said flatly. Damon smiled and dropped his hand. "I did not think so."

"But we made a bargain," Marsh added.

He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and retrieved the last golden crucible. He held it out to Damon, who took a defensive step backward as if it were diseased.

"Last one," Marsh said, and casually tossed the crucible over his shoulder.

The golden orb arced into the air and came down on the stone platform. It shattered on contact, spewing forth the final remains of Alexander the Great.

Coop winced, as did Ree, but neither said a word.

Damon stared fearfully as if the cursed blood might rise up and drown him, but the thick liquid did nothing more than trickle through the cracks between stones . . . and dis
appear.

"Thank you for that," Damon said.
"
And our other arrangement?"

Marsh shrugged. "You're still here, aren't you?"

Damon looked around, as if realizing for the first time that he had not been swept back into the Blood with all of the other spirits.

"Indeed," he said with a satisfied smile. "To whatever extent you were responsible, I thank you."

"I think you have yourself to thank," Marsh said.

"Indeed," Damon said, satisfied. "Then, I will take my leave."

"There's one thing," Marsh added. "Stay the hell away from me. From all of us. Wherever you travel, whatever you do, I don't ever want to see you or hear of you again."

"Understood," Damon said with a slight deferential bow.

He turned and headed back for his horse. The others watched tensely as he mounted, adjusted his armor, and was about to trot off when . . .

"Damon," Marsh called out.

Damon looked back to him.

"I have to know. This could have happened to anyone for two thousand years, but it happened to us. Was it all just random or was there some purpose?"

"I have asked that same question myself," Damon answered. "I do not pretend to understand all there is to know of the forces that influence us, but after having observed them for so long, I believe I know more than most."

"So what's the answer?" Marsh pressed.

"I do not know," Damon said with a shrug. "Perhaps there is no explanation. It may be as you say. Random. But if one needs more understanding, perhaps you need look no further than where we find ourselves. I set out to dis
rupt the Morpheus Road, and what was the result? I was defeated, yet received exactly what I was seeking. And all has returned to the way it was."

"Except for a couple of dead people along the way," Coop said with disdain.

"Death is a part life," Damon said. "Perhaps it took those sacrifices, and yours, to ensure the future of mankind. It was no small accomplishment and makes me think of the possibility."

"Possibility of what?" Ree asked.

"That what happened here was not random at all.
We may all have been guided more than we realize. The choices we make are our own, but so much of what we do is influenced by what we see, and feel. I tried to challenge that, and failed. Why? Because I was not up to the task? Because I was wrong? Or was it because I chose the wrong people to try and influence? I understand your question, Marshall Seaver, and I will be wondering the same thing for as long as I exist. Why was it you? I do not know, but I feel there may have been more forces at work than we will ever know."

Damon kicked his horse and broke into a gallop, run
ning across the front of the platform. As he was about to hit the stairs on the far end, the colorful fog appeared in front of him and he disappeared.

"Look!" Zoe called.

In the valley below, each of Damon's soldiers disap
peared into their own personal mist, leaving only a con
fused army of Guardians.

"Simple as that," Coop said. "Now he goes off some
where and starts stewing again, and maybe a few genera
tions from now he starts feeling a little less philosophical and starts looking for the poleax again. Then what?"

"Then nothing," Marsh said. "This time it's going where he'll never find it."

"Is there such a place?" Maggie asked.

Marsh raised the poleax, the sword that was the tool of untold death and destruction, reared back, and flung it into the Threshold.

There was a quick flash of light where the poleax entered, and it was gone.

Coop laughed. "Nice."

"What's that?" Zoe asked.

From deep within the light of the Threshold, a shadow appeared.

"Uh-oh," Coop said.
"
Are they throwing it back?"

The one shadow became two and quickly took human form.

"Somebody's coming out," Ree declared.

The two shadows walked quickly from the depths of the Threshold and stepped out into the light of the valley. "Press," Marsh declared.

Press walked with a beautiful dark-skinned woman who was as tall as he and moved with the grace of an athlete. It was the same woman who appeared to Ree, Marsh, and Cooper in Ree's vision to tell them about Press being in the Blood. Both wore the plain black clothes of the Watchers. They stepped
from the Threshold and moved off to the side, where they stood silently.

"Uh-oh," Coop said. "I think they're back in Watcher mode."

"Why?" Marsh called to them. "What made the Watchers finally intervene?"

When Press "spoke," they heard his words though his lips didn't move. He had returned to a higher level of exis
tence.

"Because the positive spirit of mankind prevailed," Press answered.

"You mean because Marsh ended Brennus and cut off the flow of spirits," Coop said.

"That is true in part," the dark woman said. "There were two very powerful forces vying for control. But what finally turned the tide wasn't a weapon, or a battle, or any act of violence."

"Then, what was it?" Marsh asked.

"One of the simplest positive qualities that defines man
kind," Press answered. "Trust."

"Trust?" Coop repeated, disbelieving. "What's that got to do with—?"

"It was Damon," Ree said, realizing. "Marsh put his trust in Damon and he delivered."

"Seriously?" Coop exclaimed, incredulous. "You finally took our side because of
freakin
' Damon?"

Press said, "The evil that Brennus and Damon had been building for centuries no longer exists for one simple reason. Marsh trusted Damon to make the right choice and Damon's humanity prevailed. That is what made the difference."

Coop shook his head with wonder and said, "Unbeliev
able."

Marsh said, "So what happens if Damon goes back to being Damon?"

Press gave them a knowing smile and said, "Maybe you should just enjoy this moment."

Another shadow appeared from inside the Threshold. As it moved closer, it took the shape of a person who was much taller than Press and had long dark hair.

When the features of the person became clear, Zoe took a quick surprised breath.

"Adeipho!" she said with a gasp.

"It can't be," Coop exclaimed. "I saw his spirit destroyed."

"Not my father," Zoe exclaimed. "My brother."

The young Adeipho stepped from the light of the Threshold, looking very much like his father. Rather than the leather battle armor, he wore simple cotton pants and a shirt . . . the clothes of a fisherman.

"You fought well, Sister," Adeipho said.

Zoe made a move to run for him, but stopped herself as if not sure what was proper.

"Can I . . . ?" she asked Press.

Press nodded.

Adeipho held out his arms and Zoe ran to him. She was no longer the angry soldier who commanded an army. She was once again a happy young girl.

"Have you come to stay?" she asked, her head buried in his chest.

Adeipho laughed. "Of course not. You are coming with me. Mother is waiting."

Zoe shot a quick, questioning look to Press.

Press nodded and gestured toward the Threshold.

Zoe hugged her brother even closer and whispered, "Father is gone."

"I know," he said softly.

Adeipho looked to the others and said, "You have all fought well. We could not be more proud."

Coop called, "So, uh, what's it like in there?"

Adeipho smiled and said, "Thanks to what you have all done, you will be able to find out for yourselves one day."

Coop looked to Marsh and said, "I knew he wouldn't tell us."

Zoe pulled away from her brother and called to the oth
ers. "I know we will meet again."

Adeipho put his arm around Zoe and the two turned and walked through the Threshold.

"I guess she earned that," Coop said to Press.

Press responded with a small smile, and a wink. "Hey, look," Marsh called out.

Everyone turned to look back at the valley to see that the Guardians were no longer there. All signs of the battle that had torn apart the idyllic gorge had disappeared as well. It was once again . . . paradise.

"Somebody else is coming out," Ree announced.

Another shadow appeared within the Threshold. This one was much smaller than Adeipho and was clearly a woman. She had long, dark hair and wore a dress that came down to just below her knees.

It was Maggie's turn to gasp.

Coop saw her reaction, and his throat clutched.

"Maggie?" her mother called as she stepped tentatively into the light.

She looked like an older version of Maggie, with gray-streaked dark hair that she wore tied back into a braid. She wore a simple blue-checked dress with a red coat-sweater over it. Her brown eyes had just as much life as Maggie's, with no hint of the sad, tortured life she had lived at the hands of her brutal husband.

Maggie stood behind Coop as if for protection.

"Maggie, sweetheart, let me see you!" her mother called. Maggie didn't budge. She trembled with fear as she had done when she first met Cooper in the Black.

"It's okay," Coop said soothingly. "Go to her."

"I . . . I can't," Maggie whimpered.

"I know the truth," Maggie's mom said. "It wasn't your fault. I was so upset to see how you were treated after the accident."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Salinger," Coop said. "For what my grandfather did."

"Thank you, Cooper, but there's no need for apologies," she said. "My daughter has made her peace with him."

Coop gently held Maggie and coaxed her to go to her mother. Maggie hugged her own waist and stepped forward reluctantly.

"I want to tell you it's over," her mom said. "But the truth is, it's just beginning, and that's a good thing. Come with me, Maggie. This is where you belong."

Maggie's mom stepped forward with her arms out. Maggie stood stiffly for a moment longer, then finally broke down and ran to her. The two hugged as the tears flowed. Her mother rubbed her back soothingly, whis
pering to her little girl the way she had done so many times in life.

Maggie's mom looked to Cooper and said, "Thank you for
helping to take away her burden, and your grandfather's."

Coop opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"Wow, that's a first," Marsh said, laughing. "Cooper speechless. Mark the day."

Maggie pulled away from her mom and went to Cooper. She held his hands and said, "Come with us."